Fire Department, City of New YorkFIRE SAFETY EDUCATION

Michael R. Bloomberg, MayorSalvatore J. Cassano, Commissioner

RESIDENTAL APARTMENT BUILDING

FIRE SAFETY

Fire safety begins in your own apartment! Is your family fire safe?

Protect yourself, your family and your neighbors.

T here are special areas of concern when it comes to fire safety in apartment buildings. Families in apartment buildings live close together; affecting each other’s risks associated with fire. While the chances of a fire starting in an apartment are about the

same as in a private home, apartment fires have the potential to spread fire, heat and smoke throughout the building affecting the safety of all occupants.

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PROUDLY SERVING NEW YORK SINCE 1865YOUR SAFETY IS OUR MISSIONFD

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SMOKE ALARMS SAVE LIVES CARBON MONOXIDE ALARMS SAVE LIVES SMOKE ALARMS SAVE LIVES

A Public Fire Safety Message From The New York City Fire Department

English

FIRE DEPARTMENT CITY OF NEW YORK9 Metro tech center

Brooklyn, new york 11201-3857

Issued by FDNY FIRE SAFETY EDUCATION UNIT & FDNY OFFICE OF PUBLIC INFORMATION

www.nyc.gov/fdnywww.fdnyfoundation.org

Fire extinguishers For residential use

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Class Type of Fire Extinguishing AgentA Ordinary Combustibles

Wood, PaperWater or Dry Chemical

B Grease, Gasoline, Oils Dry Chemical or Carbon Dioxide (CO2)No Water

C Electrical Wires Burning

Dry Chemical or Carbon Dioxide (CO2)No Water

When in doubt, just get out!

Cooking Fires

Cooking fires most often involve very hot oil or grease. For these kinds of fires, it is best to:

• Turn off the stove.• Use baking soda and/or slide the lid over the pan to smother the flame.• Do not attempt to pick up the pan and carry away from the stove.• Do not use water or a fire extinguisher, because it will cause splashing and spread the fire.

PROUDLY SERvINg NEW YORK SINCE 1865Your SafetY IS our MISSIonFD

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A Public Fire Safety Message From The New York City Fire Department

Portable fire extinguishers can be an important component of your home’s fire-safe preparedness, which should include fire-safe behaviors, working smoke alarms and a practiced fire escape plan.

Most importantly, homeowners must understand how and when to use a fire extinguisher. Improper use may result in spreading the fire, causing serious injury or death.

Fire needs fuel, oxygen and heat to burn. When used properly, a fire extinguisher applies an appropriate agent that will cool the burning fuel or remove the oxygen, so the fire cannot continue to burn. The appropriate type of extinguisher must be used for the corresponding class of fire.

Portable fire extinguishers are classified for use on certain classes of fire and rated for the relative extinguishing effectiveness. The classification and ratings are found on the label affixed to the extinguisher. For example, a fire extinguisher rated 2-A:10-B:C is adequate for extinguishment of Class A, B and C fires.

One extinguisher per floor, including a 10-B:C rated for the garage, is recommended for most homes. Extinguishers should be hung with the brackets supplied by the manufacturer or placed on an accessible shelf with the operating instructions facing outward.

Most fires start small. If you feel confident that the decision to fight the fire will not result in additional risk to yourself or others, follow these rules of extinguishment:

• Call the Fire Department or 911 and get everybody out of the residence. • Stay near a door that can be used as an escape. • Stay low to avoid toxic smoke and fumes, as well as the extinguishing agents.• P-ull the pin, holding the extinguisher upright. A-im at the base of the fire, from approximately 20 feet away. S-queeze the handle. S-weep the nozzle from side to side.

If the fire does not extinguish quickly or re-ignites, get out of the building, closing all doors behind you.

Once an extinguisher is used--even if only a short burst of extinguishing agent is discharged--it must be refilled or replaced.

Rules of Extinguishment